S Sudan joins Geneva Conventions

2012-07-20 10:59

Geneva - The International Committee of the Red Cross says South Sudan, the world's newest nation, has signed on to the Geneva Conventions on the conduct of warfare, making the treaties "truly universal."

The Geneva-based Red Cross, which oversees compliance with the 1949 conventions that form the core of international humanitarian law, said on Thursday that South Sudan signed the treaty after its legislature gave approval this week.

Melker Mabeck, head of the Red Cross delegation in Juba, South Sudan's capital, said the conventions must now be "incorporated into the training and doctrine of South Sudan's army so they are known and complied with".

South Sudanese lawmaker Dengtiel Ayuen Kuur said his nation, which gained independence last year, emphasises its "commitment to the principles of humanity even in times of war".